Once all modifications are complete, mRNA is ready for translation. Ribosomes consist of two parts, a large subunit and a small subunit. A large ribosomal subunit then joins the newly formed complex.
The newly formed polypeptide chain undergoes several modifications before becoming a fully functioning protein. Many copies of a protein can be made from one mRNA molecule. A triplet is a section of three DNA bases in a row that codes for a specific amino acid. Similar to the way in which the three-letter code d-o-g signals the image of a dog, the three-letter DNA base code signals the use of a particular amino acid. Therefore, a gene, which is composed of multiple triplets in a unique sequence, provides the code to build an entire protein, with multiple amino acids in the proper sequence Figure 1.
The mechanism by which cells turn the DNA code into a protein product is a two-step process, with an RNA molecule as the intermediate. Figure 1. The Genetic Code. From DNA to RNA: Transcription DNA is housed within the nucleus, and protein synthesis takes place in the cytoplasm, thus there must be some sort of intermediate messenger that leaves the nucleus and manages protein synthesis. This intermediate messenger is messenger RNA mRNA , a single-stranded nucleic acid that carries a copy of the genetic code for a single gene out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm where it is used to produce proteins.
There are several different types of RNA, each having different functions in the cell. Finally, instead of the base thymine, RNA contains the base uracil. This means that adenine will always pair up with uracil during the protein synthesis process. Gene expression begins with the process called transcription, which is the synthesis of a strand of mRNA that is complementary to the gene of interest.
Transcription begins in a fashion somewhat like DNA replication, in that a region of DNA unwinds and the two strands separate, however, only that small portion of the DNA will be split apart. The triplets within the gene on this section of the DNA molecule are used as the template to transcribe the complementary strand of RNA Figure 2.
A codon is a three-base sequence of mRNA, so-called because they directly encode amino acids. Like DNA replication, there are three stages to transcription: initiation, elongation, and termination. Figure 2. Stage 1: Initiation. A region at the beginning of the gene called a promoter—a particular sequence of nucleotides—triggers the start of transcription. Stage 2: Elongation. One strand, referred to as the coding strand, becomes the template with the genes to be coded.
This process builds a strand of mRNA. Stage 3: Termination. Before the mRNA molecule leaves the nucleus and proceeds to protein synthesis, it is modified in a number of ways.
For this reason, it is often called a pre-mRNA at this stage. For example, your DNA, and thus complementary mRNA, contains long regions called non-coding regions that do not code for amino acids. Their function is still a mystery, but the process called splicing removes these non-coding regions from the pre-mRNA transcript Figure 3.
The removed segment of the transcript is called an intron. The remaining exons are pasted together. An exon is a segment of RNA that remains after splicing. Viruses Video transcript If you could step inside one of your cells, you'd see something that looks a lot like a factory building thousands of different molecular machines.
It would have tiny assembly lines starting in the cell's nucleus and stretching out to structures called ribosomes. DNA has all the blueprints for everything the cell will ever need to build. RNAs are assorted molecular machines that do all kinds of work in the cell. They carry components from place to place, ratchet up the speed of operations, switch other machines on and off, and relay coded instructions from the nucleus out to the factory floor. The other product, proteins, are strong molecular machines that do things like hold the cell together and send signals to other cells.
There are two parts to each assembly line: the first builds RNAs, and the second builds proteins. The process that builds RNAs is called transcription. It happens in the cell's central office: the nucleus, where DNA blueprints are stored. This region is called a gene.
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This refers to the fact that DNA contains the information necessary for the cell to build one very important type of molecule: the protein. The triplets within the gene on this section of the DNA molecule are used as the template to transcribe the complementary strand of RNA Figure 2. When different coding regions of mRNA are spliced out, different variations of the protein will eventually result, with differences in structure and function. Thrombin is just one of the tens of thousands of proteins your cells can make. This region is called a gene.
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The remaining exons are pasted together. The newly formed polypeptide chain undergoes several modifications before becoming a fully functioning protein. One of the most important classes of proteins is enzymes, which help speed up necessary biochemical reactions that take place inside the cell. Lysosomes digest and recycle the waste materials for reuse by the cell. This cell needs to make Thrombin, a protein machine which helps blood clot and make a scab. When the mRNA transcript is ready, it travels out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm.
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There are two parts to each assembly line: the first builds RNAs, and the second builds proteins.
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Updated December 13, Protein synthesis is accomplished through a process called translation. Ribosomes are made of a small and large subunit that surround the mRNA. Review Questions 1. Translation proceeds in four phases: activation, initiation, elongation, and termination all describing the growth of the amino acid chain, or polypeptide that is the product of translation.
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This process builds a strand of mRNA. It's like one factory that can build toasters, phones, cars, and even repair itself. Figure 4. And voila! These clusters of ribosomes that translate a single mRNA sequence are called polyribosomes or polysomes.
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Before the mRNA molecule leaves the nucleus and proceeds to protein synthesis, it is modified in a number of ways.